1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of multimedia authoring and more particularly to a multimedia editor configured to adapt textual documents into multimedia documents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computing has transformed the world of information exchange from primarily a text-based publication model to a multimedia model. While the text-based publication model proved to be somewhat effective for disseminating information to the masses, many complex ideas were best represented through the combination of textual description and audiovisual presentation. In fact, in the absence of a complementary audiovisual presentation, oftentimes the use of textual materials can be outright ineffective in presenting an idea.
For example, the study of human language has always involved the use of textual instruction in conjunction with audiovisual instruction. While classroom instruction had been preferred, in many cases audio cassettes or video cassettes were packaged with textual materials to provide a comprehensive self-study package. Yet, many aspects of the language instruction process are lost upon the student in the absence of a comprehensive presentation involving the concurrent use both of textual materials and audiovisual materials. Specifically, real-time feedback of the student's pronunciation of a vocabulary word in a textual instruction booklet can accelerate the learning process.
The processing power of the personal computer, when combined with the mass storage capabilities of modern media provide new opportunities for combining textual materials with audiovisual supplementary materials. In consequence, content authors have combined text with multimedia elements, such as graphics, animation, music, sound effects and video to produce multimedia documents. Ranging from simple slide shows to full-blown interactive applications, multimedia documents have introduced an entirely new modality for presenting ideas to the masses. Notably, the promise of the multimedia document far exceeds that of its ancestor, the printed book.
Initially, the authoring of a multimedia documents involved substantial expertise in the art and science of computer programming. More recently, however, multimedia authoring tools have been developed which require little more than the manipulation of graphical icons to produce full-fledged multimedia documents. Notably, multimedia authoring tools range from word processing systems having enhanced object manipulation capabilities, to presentation slide-show production tools, to formalized computer based training production tools. In each case, however, it is presumed that the author will produce a multimedia document from scratch. Thus, the vast majority of existing textual content lacks the richness of modern multimedia.